Ordinarily, I am not that fond of Christmas fairs. It is often just a lot of food and items you really don’t need. But as a background for a photo shoot, this fair in The Hague was fun. I called the post ‘Pile on the pearls‘ as usually, just one string of pearls isn’t enough for me. I want to see a lot of them.
Below: Walking through town to the fair, we spotted this tower of the old town hall or rather, Marjolein did. We thought you’d like it.
Below: Another photo of the old town hall with the stork in the coat of arms.
Below: Lovely old building with Christmas decorations.
We decided to have coffee first, at ‘t Goude Hooft (old Dutch spelling of ‘the golden head‘). It is the oldest tavern of The Hague; there was mentioning of it as early as 1423. It has been renovated at least four times since then.
Below: It was too busy inside with large groups but we were allowed to take a photo in this cosy corner that Marjolein knew about. Bad light but a snuggly corner.
Below: ‘t Goude Hooft is a magnificent old restaurant which has this stained glass window.
Below: Great photo of Marjolein as we were sitting outside on the terrace of ‘t Goude Hooft (it was roofed and there were heaters).
After the cappuccino and cake (ohhh…my weight) we went on our merry way.
Below: Quirky chair outside a furniture shop. Too good not to use as ‘prop‘. When I laugh like this, I don’t look too pretty; I call it my hyena face. I was wearing my fancy long black coat as seen in this post about my long denim skirt.
Below: We arrived at the fair where I walked around without a coat as we had to take outfit photos. Which was COLD.
Below: The fair provided a few fun photo backgrounds like this sleigh.
Below: And, as I said, lots of places with food and drinks.
Below: This stall, called Rolling Scones (funny), made me laugh when I read the sign “Skinny people are easier to kidnap…Stay safe this Christmas. Eat scones.” Brilliant.
Below: Ho ho ho, another sleigh. I am wearing one long string of real cultivated pearls (the necklace that had to be restrung a few months ago), one long string of fake pearls on a leather string and a gold necklace with a pendant. The earrings are not pearls but deliberately green to bring some colour nearer my face as I am wearing a black woollen jumper. The green of the earrings echoes the beads on the belt. The dusty pink bag is a Hudson Bay sales bargain of years ago. The black boots will stay will me forever.
Below: Marjolein in full swing, wearing a glitter blazer, a silver top and jeans with enormous (fake) cuffs.
Below: Her silver belt in detail.
Below: As we were taking photos near the sleigh, a handsome young couple with a doggie arrived and we took a photo of them. Here is a photo of just the cute dog.
Below: Mini pancakes or as we call them ‘poffertjes’. Delicious and popular with children.
Below: An item you don’t want and neither need, cute and funny. I liked them, but I didn’t buy any.
Below: A stall with vintage picture postcards, posters and such.
Below: At another stall we saw these cat portraits and the one dog (at the bottom). The second and third one from above made us laugh.
Below: Marjolein was wearing another purple coat than her usual one. This coat isn’t as fitted and has a hood.
Below: Marjolein’s bag.
Below: We thought this was hilarious. Drunken ducks as wine bottle holder.
Below: To Marjolein’s delight we found these cakes. Usually, they make them with normal marshmallow stuff inside, but these came in many different flavours.
Below: A metal life tree to hang on your wall. I knew Ron would be dead against it.
Below: Cute metal bird feeder.
Below: Metal parent bird, feeding the young. I reckon this is just an ornament.
Below: If there hadn’t been so much merchandise between his legs I would have sat on his lap for a photo.
Below: Face gone wrong.
Below: We were getting peckish and left the Christmas fair to have lunch. Before we left the fair, we encountered these musicians. The organisation should have given them a nicer background, I think.
Below: This beautiful old place is an antique and jewellery shop. Very befitting.
Below: The residents of this little street are doing their utmost to make it look attractive with those flowerpots.
Lunch at Café 2005 on Denneweg was delicious and reasonably priced.
Below: Marjolein spotted a ship ornament at the top of a building for an insurance company with that name, De Zeven Provinciën (The Seven Provinces). It refers to the seven provinces that formed a pact against the Spanish oppressor (1579).
Below: I will end this part of the post with four photos of old buildings in The Hague. We have been here so often and taken photos of buildings but every time we return, we see different buildings. And that is not because they quickly built some more.
What happened in my life this week
Ron and I went out to dinner and Froukje and Petro joined us, laughter and ‘gezelligheid’ as usual. The word ‘gezellig’ is a Dutch word that cannot be translated. It means, cosy, nice, having a good time, warm, being with friends etc etc. No photos.
Hanka (below) came for a coffee and a lunch on Monday which is why we chose restaurant Het Wapen van Kennemerland as they are open on a Monday. Lots of restaurants are not. They want to have a day off too. The Dutch are very much in favour of a work/life balance. No 996 here (996 means starting work at 9 o’clock, leaving work at 21h00, six days a week. You’ll find very few Dutch people willing to do this, if not none.)
Ron and I cleared out the cellar, or better said the big cupboard underneath the stairs. I always called it hell as it was packed with so many things and the floor was all covered; really difficult to fetch something from it. Now it is all tidy. It clears your head too.
We got new towels which I washed three times otherwise they don’t absorb any water. And we finally got a new lamp above the dining table. We had to give up on the old one which I thought looked much better, more in style with the table. But it was about 35 years old and kicked the bucket. It is a long and complicated story why, but we didn’t have much choice in lamps. This one fitted. It is not that I don’t like it, but I liked the first one more.
Photo Assignment, Same Same but Different
Here are three of my photos for the current photo assignment.
There will be a post next week and also the week after. I deliver every week, because I love it so much.
For now, have a Merry Christmas.
Greetje
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